{"id":64558,"date":"2025-09-22T11:20:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T05:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=64558"},"modified":"2025-10-08T11:40:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T06:10:36","slug":"daily-editorial-analysis-22-september-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/daily-editorial-analysis-22-september-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Editorial Analysis 22 September 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>Breaking the Academic Paywall<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>India today stands as the <strong>fourth-largest producer of PhD graduates<\/strong> globally, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.<\/li>\n<li>Yet, <strong>this achievement is shadowed by a paradox:<\/strong> many of these scholars come from regions where universities lack the resources to subscribe to essential academic journals.<\/li>\n<li>Completing doctoral research requires reading hundreds of papers, <strong>but students, already constrained by limited stipends of \u20b920,000\u201335,000, are forced to pay anywhere between $20 and $3,000 (\u20b917,000\u20132.64 lakh)<\/strong> for access to a single article.<\/li>\n<li>Such barriers effectively block access to knowledge for those who most need it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>The High Cost of Knowledge<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>issue became particularly visible when the Delhi High Court, in August, ordered the blocking of Sci-Hub and LibGen<\/strong>, two popular free-access platforms.<\/li>\n<li>The case, <strong>filed by three of the world\u2019s largest academic publishers<\/strong> that control 40% of the global market, rested on copyright infringement claims.<\/li>\n<li>This <strong>decision sparked widespread debate<\/strong> on the ethics of restricting access to scientific knowledge, especially for researchers in the Global South.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Academic publishing operates on a business model<\/strong> that extracts immense profits from the unpaid labour of researchers, whose work is funded through taxpayers or student fees.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Publishers neither create content nor review its quality<\/strong>, yet they exert ownership over knowledge and charge exorbitant fees for access.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A 2021 study in the Journal of Scientometric Research revealed that India accounted for 8.7% of all Sci-Hub downloads<\/strong> in 2017, over 13 million requests, with nearly one-fifth related to medical and health sciences.<\/li>\n<li>Clearly, <strong>students and professionals rely heavily on such platforms to access information<\/strong> vital for local research and problem-solving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Health, Innovation, and the Cost of Exclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>consequences of paywalled science are most dire in healthcare. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>As organisations like Doctors Without Borders (MSF) note, <strong>medicine is never static;<\/strong> it evolves in response to climate change, disease patterns, and shifting social realities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Yet in the Global South,<\/strong> where two-thirds of tuberculosis cases occur and where antimicrobial-resistant HIV is an urgent challenge, <strong>doctors struggle to develop effective treatment plans without access to the latest research. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Tailored healthcare solutions, sensitive to geography,<\/strong> malnutrition, age, and co-morbidities, require constant innovation grounded in updated knowledge.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Denying access becomes not just an academic concern but a moral question<\/strong> of equity and justice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Knowledge as a Commodity<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>problem extends beyond healthcare; <\/strong>today, knowledge is treated as a luxury commodity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Universities increasingly favour researchers<\/strong> <strong>who publish in high-profile journals<\/strong> rather than those whose work addresses urgent social needs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Corporate interests dominate research priorities<\/strong>, with patents and intellectual property rights reinforcing the privatisation of human knowledge.<\/li>\n<li>This <strong>narrow view sidelines grassroots expertise<\/strong>, particularly in the Global South, where communities often serve as mere field sites for Global North researchers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Local researchers are underrepresented in authorship<\/strong>, relegated to assistant roles while conceptual framing remains rooted in Northern perspectives.<\/li>\n<li>This <strong>imbalance not only perpetuates inequity but also distorts the framing of Southern challenges<\/strong> through foreign lenses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Towards Collective Action and Open Science<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>Global South faces overlapping crises<\/strong>, climate disasters, displacement, drug resistance, systemic inequities, that demand collective knowledge-sharing.<\/li>\n<li>Recognising this, <strong>193 member states of UNESCO, including India, adopted the first international framework on open science in 2021. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>This <strong>initiative sought to make scientific knowledge transparent, accessible<\/strong>, and collaborative.<\/li>\n<li>Yet, just a few years later, <strong>powerful publishers continue to enforce paywalls<\/strong>, creating an artificial scarcity around what is inherently abundant: knowledge.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Science is already a collective exercise<\/strong>, built upon the contributions of countless individuals across borders.<\/li>\n<li>However, <strong>even communities who participate in research often cannot access the findings that emerge from their involvement. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>This exclusion undermines the very spirit of inquiry and solidarity that science is meant to embody.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>If humanity is to confront the complex challenges of the 21st century, from pandemics to climate change and systemic inequities, <strong>knowledge must be recognised as commons rather than a commodity. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The <strong>continued stranglehold of corporate publishers denies millions the opportunity to learn<\/strong>, innovate, and adapt.<\/li>\n<li><strong>It is imperative that governments, institutions, and civil society pressure publishing giants to dismantle paywalls<\/strong> and democratise access.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Only then can knowledge serve its true purpose:<\/strong> empowering people everywhere to build healthier, more just, and more resilient societies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Breaking the Academic Paywall FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Q1. <\/strong>Why do many PhD students in India struggle to access research papers?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans. <\/strong>They struggle because journals are expensive, while students receive only modest stipends and lack institutional subscriptions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2. <\/strong>What sparked debate on access to knowledge in India recently?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans. <\/strong>The Delhi High Court\u2019s decision to block Sci-Hub and LibGen triggered debate over students\u2019 rights to access research.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3. <\/strong>How does restricted access to journals affect healthcare in the Global South?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans. <\/strong>It prevents doctors and researchers from developing updated, tailored treatment plans for diseases like TB and HIV.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4. <\/strong>What problem arises from Global North dominance in publishing?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans. <\/strong>Researchers from the Global South are often underrepresented, with their issues framed through Northern perspectives.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5. <\/strong>What solution is needed to overcome the artificial scarcity of knowledge?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> Dismantling paywalls and treating knowledge as a commons to ensure open and equitable access.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/breaking-the-academic-paywall\/article70077318.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Hindu<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>India\u2019s Foreign Policy Dilemma &#8211; Strategic and Multi-Dependence<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Context:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The Prime Minister (PM) of India recently highlighted <strong>India\u2019s overdependence on foreign countries<\/strong> as a <strong>major strategic risk<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Despite aspirations of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment, India faces the reality of strategic and multi-dependence on <strong>China, Russia, and the US.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>This dependence is distributed <strong>across critical sectors<\/strong> like manufacturing, defence, energy, and markets, and <strong>constrains New Delhi\u2019s foreign policy manoeuvrability<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>India\u2019s Dependence on Major Powers:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Dependence on China:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Manufacturing and consumer goods<\/strong>: Heavy reliance on Chinese white goods, mobile phone components, and computers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pharmaceuticals<\/strong>: Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and precursor chemicals critical for India\u2019s pharma sector.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Energy and commodities<\/strong>: Import of rare earths, polysilicon, wafers, and solar cells.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Infrastructure inputs<\/strong>: Fertilisers and tunnel-boring machines.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Semiconductors<\/strong>: Large-scale imports from China.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Dependence on Russia:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Defence<\/strong>: 60\u201370% dependence on platforms and systems across Army, Navy, and Air Force.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Energy<\/strong>: Oil imports from Russia rose from 4% (2022) to nearly 40% in recent times.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Legacy factor<\/strong>: While India has tried to diversify to France, Israel, and the US, dependence on Russia goes back to the <strong>1970s<\/strong>, and it is <strong>hard for the armed forces to wean themselves off Russian equipment.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Dependence on the United States:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Economic and human capital links:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The US is <strong>India&#8217;s largest export destination<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Indians in recent years have <strong>topped the list of H1-B visa recipients<\/strong>, up to 70% of those issued.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Indian students<\/strong> in the US rival Chinese students in terms of numbers, and the US is the top destination for the Indian students going abroad.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Defence and technology<\/strong>:\n<ul>\n<li>American arms and military technology are seen as <strong>vital for India\u2019s defence modernisation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Key military armaments and components<\/strong> include GE engines for India\u2019s indigenous fighter aircraft &#8211; the Tejas, assault rifles, helicopters, missiles, unmanned aerial systems, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geopolitical<\/strong>: Counterbalancing against China\u2019s power in the Indo-Pacific.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Foreign Policy Tightrope:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>China<\/strong>: New Delhi cannot afford to offend China over the border without risking economic fallout.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Russia<\/strong>: Oil and defence links limit criticism of Russia over the Ukraine war, its arms sales to China, and its burgeoning relationship with Pakistan.<\/li>\n<li><strong>United States<\/strong>: Due to trade and technology dependence, India cannot offend the Americans over tariffs and India\u2019s relations with China and Russia as well as Iran beyond a point.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Overall<\/strong>: India\u2019s room for manoeuvre in foreign policy is severely restricted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Historical Parallel:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Current dependence mirrors the <strong>post-Cold War crisis of 1989\u201391<\/strong>, when the Soviet collapse exposed India\u2019s vulnerabilities.<\/li>\n<li>Today, <strong>disruptions in global geopolitics<\/strong> (Trump\u2019s tariffs, Ukraine war, US-China rivalry) highlight <strong>India\u2019s fragile dependence<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Challenges Ahead for India:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Manufacturing stagnation<\/strong>: Despite 7% GDP growth since the 1990s, the sector remains weak.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Commodity deficit<\/strong>: India desperately needs various commodities including energy, rare earths, and APIs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Limited export diversification<\/strong>: Large dependence on the US market.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Private and public sector response<\/strong>: Lack of sufficient competitiveness and \u201canimal spirits\u201d in Indian industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Way Forward:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Manufacturing revolution<\/strong>: Strengthen Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Diversify imports and commodities<\/strong>: Expand sourcing of APIs, rare earths, energy, and semiconductors from multiple countries.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Export diversification<\/strong>: Reduce dependence on the US by tapping into <strong>African, ASEAN, and Latin American markets.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Defence indigenisation<\/strong>: Accelerate indigenous R&amp;D, promote joint ventures, and reduce reliance on Russia and US.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Policy push<\/strong>: Galvanise private sector innovation, investment, and competitiveness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>India\u2019s strategic autonomy<\/strong> is undermined by its economic and defence dependencies on China, Russia, and the US.<\/li>\n<li>Just as the 1991 crisis spurred economic reforms, today\u2019s challenge should be seen as an <strong>opportunity<\/strong> to unleash a manufacturing and self-reliance revolution.<\/li>\n<li>Achieving true <strong>Atmanirbharta <\/strong>across <strong>critical <\/strong>sectors is essential <strong>for safeguarding India\u2019s foreign policy independence and national security.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>India\u2019s Foreign Policy Dilemma FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Q1<\/strong>. How does India\u2019s dependence on China impact its strategic autonomy?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. Dependence on Chinese consumer goods, APIs, semiconductors, and rare earths constrains India\u2019s ability to take a firm stance against Beijing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2<\/strong>. Why is Russia considered indispensable to India\u2019s defence and energy security?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. Around 60\u201370% of India\u2019s defence platforms and a surge in crude oil imports (up to 40%) come from Russia, making diversification difficult.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3<\/strong>. Examine the nature of India\u2019s dependence on the United States.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. India relies on the US for export markets, H-1B\/student visas, defence technology (e.g., GE engines), and strategic counterbalance to China.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4<\/strong>. What historical parallels can be drawn from India\u2019s current foreign policy challenges?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. Just as the Soviet collapse exposed India\u2019s economic vulnerability in 1991, current multi-dependence on China, Russia, and the US exposes strategic vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5<\/strong>. What measures are necessary for India to reduce multi-dependence and strengthen strategic autonomy?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. A manufacturing revolution, diversification of imports\/exports, defence indigenisation, and galvanising private sector competitiveness are essential.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/worries-over-h-1b-visa-fee-hike-speak-of-indias-larger-problem-10263438\/lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Daily Editorial Analysis 22 September 2025 by Vajiram &#038; Ravi covers key editorials from The Hindu &#038; Indian Express with UPSC-focused insights and relevance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":50653,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[141,882,909],"class_list":{"0":"post-64558","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-daily-editorial-analysis","8":"tag-daily-editorial-analysis","9":"tag-the-hindu-editorial-analysis","10":"tag-the-indian-express-analysis","11":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64558\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}